Almería v Real Madrid
Real Madrid rally past Almeria to start LaLiga season with win
Champions Real Madrid overcame a slow start in their first match of the LaLiga season with a 2-1 comeback win over Almeria at the Power Horse Stadium on Sunday night.
David Alaba netted a divine winner after Lucas Vazquez had drawn Madrid level following a surprise opener from Almeria's Largie Ramazani in the sixth minute.
- Kirkland: Unlikely heroes Alaba, Vazquez step up for Madrid
- La Liga on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)
- Notebook: The inside stories from world football
The newly-promoted hosts took a shock lead early in the first half with a classy goal through Ramazani, who picked up a perfect ball over the top of the Madrid defense, took one touch and fired a low line drive past Thibaut Courtois to make it 1-0.
Carlo Ancelotti's side -- which included five changes to the starting 11 that won both the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup -- applied plenty of pressure throughout the first half and even had a Vazquez goal ruled out for offside as Almeria clung to their narrow lead until half-time.
Madrid ratcheted through the gears and found their equaliser just after the hour mark when Vazquez pounced on a loose ball and scored from close range following Vinicius Junior's hard-charging run into the area.
Alaba made the ultimate impact as a substitute, scoring the go-ahead goal with his first touch after coming on for Ferland Mendy. The Austria international bent the ball up and over the Almeria wall from a free kick into the top corner after Luka Modric was brought down just outside the penalty area.
"It was a complicated match, they explored very well the spaces that we left on the back of the defence," Ancelotti said. "[Aurelien] Tchouameni and [Eduardo] Camavinga didn't show their true quality and potential, but sometimes Real Madrid shirt is a heavy burden for the young players.
"I have full confidence that they will progress because they are high level players."
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Game Information
- Referees:
- Juan Martínez Munuera
Spanish LALIGA Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 29 | 24 | 1 | 4 | +50 | 73 |
| Real Madrid | 29 | 22 | 3 | 4 | +37 | 69 |
| Villarreal | 29 | 18 | 4 | 7 | +20 | 58 |
| Atlético de Madrid | 29 | 17 | 6 | 6 | +21 | 57 |
| Real Betis | 29 | 11 | 11 | 7 | +7 | 44 |
| Celta Vigo | 29 | 10 | 11 | 8 | +6 | 41 |
| Real Sociedad | 29 | 10 | 8 | 11 | -1 | 38 |
| Getafe | 29 | 11 | 5 | 13 | -6 | 38 |
| Athletic Club | 29 | 11 | 5 | 13 | -9 | 38 |
| Osasuna | 29 | 10 | 7 | 12 | -1 | 37 |
| Espanyol | 29 | 10 | 7 | 12 | -8 | 37 |
| Valencia | 29 | 9 | 8 | 12 | -10 | 35 |
| Girona | 29 | 8 | 10 | 11 | -13 | 34 |
| Rayo Vallecano | 29 | 7 | 11 | 11 | -7 | 32 |
| Sevilla | 29 | 8 | 7 | 14 | -12 | 31 |
| Alavés | 29 | 8 | 7 | 14 | -11 | 31 |
| Elche | 29 | 6 | 11 | 12 | -8 | 29 |
| Mallorca | 29 | 7 | 7 | 15 | -13 | 28 |
| Levante | 29 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -14 | 26 |
| Real Oviedo | 29 | 4 | 9 | 16 | -28 | 21 |

